There's finally live professional sports this weekend: Here's where to watch
As many states start to ease stay-at-home restrictions, the world of sports is also slowly opening up. This weekend there are a handful of sporting events being held in the U.S. that you can watch on TV or online via livestream.
NBA teams are just starting to open practice facilities for individual workouts and a few Major League Soccer teams returned to the field Wednesday – limited to one player per quadrant – for voluntary workouts. The two professional sports leagues have strict health and safety protocols in place, and many teams are still awaiting approval from government authorities to reopen their facilities.
Here's a look at competitions that are being held this weekend around the U.S.:
UFC returns in Jacksonville
After a nearly two-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, the UFC returns to action Saturday with UFC 249, which takes place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+. There will be no spectators in attendance.
A championship doubleheader sits atop the card. Tony Ferguson (25-3 MMA, 15-1 UFC) meets Justin Gaethje (21-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) for interim lightweight gold in the main event, while Henry Cejudo (15-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) puts his bantamweight belt up against Dominick Cruz (22-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in the co-headliner.
UFC officials have implemented several safety protocols, including testing all athletes and others involved in UFC 249, and they're working with the Florida State Boxing Commission to regulate the event. However, a letter sent to athletes about safety protocols didn’t state how many times an athlete will be tested for COVID-19, how long it will take for results to be received, or what specific kind of testing will be conducted. ESPN reported that fighters will receive a diagnostic swab coronavirus test, as well as an antibody test.
SPORTS WITH YOUR COFFEE: Get the day's biggest headlines in your inbox each morning. Sign up here!
WINNERS & LOSERS: The good and the bad from NFL's 2020 schedule
HARBAUGH'S OPEN LETTER: Michigan coach wants to change draft eligibility rules
Young tennis stars back in action
Men’s tennis is back with four young stars competing on a private court in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The UTR Pro Match Series, a three-day, round-robin event, begins Friday at noon ET and features Reilly Opelka, the third-ranked American and No. 39 on the ATP world tour, along with American Tommy Paul (No. 57 in the world), Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz (No. 29) and Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia (No. 47).
No spectators will be allowed and there will be no ball kids, no line judges and no handshakes. The round-robin event will take place at an undisclosed location. Only one chair umpire will oversee the match.
Each player will be provided with their own set of marked balls for use during the match and players will bring their own drinks and towels.
Daily live coverage on Tennis Channel begins at noon ET and will last three hours. Over the first two days, every competitor will play each other in a first to four games, best-of-three set format. Ad-scoring is in play, with a tiebreaker played out at 3-3.
On the final day, a third-place match, followed by the championship match, will be played over best of three sets. A 10-point tiebreaker will decide any third sets contested.
Former NASCAR drivers race in Iowa
In his first racing appearance since receiving an indefinite suspension from NASCAR last month, veteran driver Kyle Larson will be a part of Friday's World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series race at Knoxville Raceway in Iowa.
Former NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne will also participate in Friday's race, which will begin with Hot Laps at 7:30 p.m. ET followed by qualifying and racing at 8:30.
NASCAR suspended Larson indefinitely April 13 for using a racial slur during an iRacing event on Easter. The utterance led to Larson's firing from Chip Ganassi Racing on April 14.
For several years, Larson has owned a sprint car team that races full time on the World of Outlaws circuit. A multiple-time winner in the series, Larson has continued to compete in dirt racing while competing in NASCAR’s top series since 2014.
Kahne, who retired from NASCAR after the 2018 season, remains a major player in the dirt-racing scene. DIRTVision will broadcast the entire night live as an online stream.
PBR still going in Oklahoma
The cowboy quarantine is still bucking outside Guthrie, Oklahoma.
The Professional Bull Riding series will host its competition with no fans from the Lazy E Arena and Ranch on Saturday and Sunday, marking the third consecutive weekend of live PBR action. CBS Sports Network will broadcast Saturday's event at 8 p.m. ET.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the PBR adjusted its schedule last month to set up shop in isolation a half hour north of downtown Oklahoma City.
About 140 people — including PBR personnel, medical staff and the TV production crew — have been staying in RVs on the Lazy E grounds during the events. Most of the individuals have returned home between events, a PBR official told The Oklahoman.
After a two-day event at Lazy E Arena on May 16-17, the PBR plans to host a live event with spectators May 30 in Sheridan, Wyoming.
Contributing: Nolan King of MMA Junkie, Dargan Southard of the Des Moines Register, Andy Kent, special contributor to the Palm Beach Post; Jeff Patterson of The Oklahoman.